Abstract: A method of visually identifying speaking participants in a multi-participant event such as an audio conference or an on-line game includes the step of receiving packets of digitized sound from a network connection. The identity of the participant associated with each packet is used to route the packet to a channel buffer or an overflow buffer. Each channel buffer may be assigned to a single participant in the multi-participant. A visual identifier module updates the visual identifier associated with participants that have been assigned a channel buffer. In some embodiments, the appearance of the visual identifier associated with the participant is dependent upon the differential of an acoustic parameter derived from content in the associated buffer channel and a reference value stored in a participant record.

Abstract: A system and method for generating a dynamic pointer having time-dependent informational content in a computer system. The system includes an object identification module for identifying objects or areas of interest aligned with the pointer. A pointer appearance selection module is provided for selecting a pointer appearance from a sequential set thereof based on the elapsed time during which the pointer has been aligned with the identified object. The selected pointer appearance is then displayed at the pointer position. In this manner, a substantially continuous visual transformation of the pointer is presented to the viewer while the pointer is maintained in alignment with the object or area of interest.

Abstract: A system for communicating digitally-encoded acoustic information across a computer network between computers. The system includes a plurality of client computers coupled together via a computer network. Each client computer includes a communications interface, memory, a sound processor and a sound mixer. The communications interface is coupled to the computer network and receives digitally-encoded acoustic signals from the other client computers attached to the computer network. The memory is coupled to the communications interface and stores separately the received acoustic signals. The sound processor is coupled to the memory and enhances separately the stored acoustic signals. The sound mixer is coupled to the sound processor and mixes the enhanced acoustic signals to produce a mixed acoustic signal.